The DCI.org interview: Jonathan Radwan, Capital Regiment snare

by Drum Corps International

Name, age, hometown: My name is Jonathan Radwan, I am 21 years old, and I'm from North Olmsted, Ohio.
What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? I'm a member of Capital Regiment and I will be in the snare line once again this summer.
Where I go to school and what I'm studying: I am a senior at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, studying computer information systems.

Jonathan Radwan

Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. I marched Capital Regiment in 2005. I was also in my high school's marching band for four years, and my college marching band for the past four years. ^What's your personal practice schedule like? I practice whenever I find the time to. I have always had a large amount of credit hours while in college along with work hours, so when I find some free time, I make sure I definitely practice not only for drum corps, but for the several music ensembles I am part of here at Dayton.
What does your ideal free day consist of? A day of relaxation with my friends doing whatever we feel like, but nothing too strenuous.
Favorite pig-out food: I would have to say pasta.
In the shower you can hear me singing: Depends on the day, anything from drum corps music to the Dave Matthews Band.
The last good book I read: The "Lord of the Rings" books are probably my favorite of the recent books I've read.
The last great film I saw: I haven't had time to see too many films recently, but I have seen "Fantastic 4" and that was pretty good. I also saw "Cry Wolf" in the theaters, which wasn't too bad either.
Jobs I have/have had: I have a job on campus in a computer lab supporting users that come in along with software testing and installations. I have also had a co-operative education job at a company serving as a second level help desk and setting up and deploying new PCs to users throughout the plant.
My favorite TV show: I have a few – "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Futurama," "Scrubs" and with many others.
What has been your formative drum corps moment? The feeling that I had after my final performance of the 2005 season at semifinals. Once we played that last note, I couldn't believe that my summer was over, but knowing that I did my best and hearing the fans was just an amazing feeling that gave me the chills.
What would you be doing next summer if you were not marching? Working to make money and help my parents pay for my tuition.
How did you decide to be a member of your corps? I had never heard of drum corps at all until my sister had bought me tickets to the Capital Regiment home show for my high school graduation in 2002. My sister, me, and a few of my friends whom I graduated with all went to that show. Due to traffic, we missed the very beginning of the show, but got to our seats right as Capital Regiment came on the field. Starting with their show, my jaw just hit the floor because I had never seen anything like that, and I told myself, "Wow, I want to do that someday." And after trying for a few years, I finally was given the opportunity to be a part of the Capital Regiment family.
What first attracted you to the drum corps activity? When I saw my first show in Columbus, I knew that I wanted to be a part of that, and as I learned more about what goes into that 11 minute show, it just made me want to work even harder to ensure that I could be a part of a drum corps some day.
What advice would you give to young people who want to march? If you want to march, don't give up and don't ever doubt yourself. Just focus on your goal, work hard, keep trying, have an open mind and listen to everything the instructors tell you, and NEVER give up. Marching drum corps is an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life. The people you meet, the lessons you learn, and the places you go all make this experience worth all of the countless hours of practicing, working, and striving to be the best you can be.
What I want to be when I "grow up": Not exactly sure on this one, but I definitely want to be working in an IT department somewhere either doing network administration or something else along those lines.
Best drum corps show ever and why: Seeing that I have only been exposed to drum corps for four years now, I haven't seen too many shows of the past. Plus, it's hard for me to pick a favorite, because I am always in awe of every show I see, knowing how hard the members had to work to perfect it.
The year is 2030. What does a DCI show look like? I think that DCI shows will be full of even faster tempos, more complex drill, more complicated guard moves and weapons, and more notes than one could ever imagine today.